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Authors: Samantha Garman
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in pain, but heard herself say, “Yes, My Lord. I will marry you.”
“Cy,” he corrected forcefully.
“Cy,” she echoed.
She did not know if she would have a better life than her mother, but she could not marry another man and risk settling for less than what Cy had to offer her. He gave her honesty. Perhaps it would be enough to build a life on.
Once the reality that she was engaged to the Earl of Stanton set in, she began to panic. Ivy had been engaged only a few minutes, and already her thoughts began to spin out of control with worry. It was one thing to wear dresses and to converse at the Duchess’s side, but to take her place as a society wife was an entirely different matter.
“Stop panicking. Take a deep breath,” he commanded.
“How did you—”
“You got very pale and started shaking. I must say I was hoping my future bride would be overjoyed at the prospect of marrying me. You look in danger of fainting.”
She laughed, feeling the tension and worry dissolve.
“That is more like it. Shall we impart the good news to your family?” Cy asked with a tender smile.
When she nodded, he dipped his head again and whispered softly, “Let us seal our engagement with another kiss.”
He did not give her time to agree or disagree. He covered her mouth with his, effortlessly molding his lips to hers. Surprising herself, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. Gently, he cupped the back of her neck and she sank into him, loving his hands in her silky tendrils of hair.
He lifted his mouth from hers. “I love your reaction when I touch you,” he whispered thickly. “Even now, your face is flushed with passion and your lips are pouty and delectable.”
She shivered at his heated words. Cy ran a thumb across Ivy’s bottom lip. She inhaled sharply. He placed his hand on her arm and escorted her to the hallway toward the front door. When they arrived out front, the mare snorted in greeting, tossing her elegant head, vying for Ivy’s attention.
“Did you ride here without a saddle?” he asked.
“Yes.” She fought the urge to squirm. “I received a lecture from Simms and our stable groom already, and they have assured me that my secret is safe with them. Might I ask for the same tact to be employed by you and your servants? The Duchess need not ever know.” Her eyes were pleading with him to agree and keep quiet.
He looked down at her beautiful face and replied, “On one condition: you will not ride without a saddle again. Though I am in awe of your skill, my future countess must ride sidesaddle.” He said it softly, but with a thread of steel in his voice.
She turned from him, and nodded her head. “You are right… you would be disgraced. And by marrying me I will be disgrace enough.”
He reached out a hand to pull her into his arms. “I am thinking of you, Ivy,” he said quietly as he stroked her red curls. “I would not want to give the harpies of society any reason to question whether or not you belong with them. And you do belong with them. And with me.”
He tilted her face back so that she was forced to look at him. His eyes were warm with sincerity and he had a look Ivy was learning to recognize; he wanted to kiss her again. Cy chuckled when she gently pushed him away. If he kissed her, there would be very little chance she would be able to leave any time soon. He muddled her thoughts.
Ivy looked at the mare and said wistfully, “She really is quite beautiful and spirited.”
“I wonder if I will be able to deny you anything. I shall let you ride one last time without a saddle. We shall take the long way back to Cavehill land.” He squeezed her fingers affectionately and spoke to a footman to see that his horse was readied. Moments later, they were galloping across the rolling landscape, and Ivy could not believe how quickly her life had changed since arriving in England.
When they reached the Cavehill stables, Cy tossed his reins to the waiting stable boy
“Cy,” he corrected forcefully.
“Cy,” she echoed.
She did not know if she would have a better life than her mother, but she could not marry another man and risk settling for less than what Cy had to offer her. He gave her honesty. Perhaps it would be enough to build a life on.
Once the reality that she was engaged to the Earl of Stanton set in, she began to panic. Ivy had been engaged only a few minutes, and already her thoughts began to spin out of control with worry. It was one thing to wear dresses and to converse at the Duchess’s side, but to take her place as a society wife was an entirely different matter.
“Stop panicking. Take a deep breath,” he commanded.
“How did you—”
“You got very pale and started shaking. I must say I was hoping my future bride would be overjoyed at the prospect of marrying me. You look in danger of fainting.”
She laughed, feeling the tension and worry dissolve.
“That is more like it. Shall we impart the good news to your family?” Cy asked with a tender smile.
When she nodded, he dipped his head again and whispered softly, “Let us seal our engagement with another kiss.”
He did not give her time to agree or disagree. He covered her mouth with his, effortlessly molding his lips to hers. Surprising herself, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. Gently, he cupped the back of her neck and she sank into him, loving his hands in her silky tendrils of hair.
He lifted his mouth from hers. “I love your reaction when I touch you,” he whispered thickly. “Even now, your face is flushed with passion and your lips are pouty and delectable.”
She shivered at his heated words. Cy ran a thumb across Ivy’s bottom lip. She inhaled sharply. He placed his hand on her arm and escorted her to the hallway toward the front door. When they arrived out front, the mare snorted in greeting, tossing her elegant head, vying for Ivy’s attention.
“Did you ride here without a saddle?” he asked.
“Yes.” She fought the urge to squirm. “I received a lecture from Simms and our stable groom already, and they have assured me that my secret is safe with them. Might I ask for the same tact to be employed by you and your servants? The Duchess need not ever know.” Her eyes were pleading with him to agree and keep quiet.
He looked down at her beautiful face and replied, “On one condition: you will not ride without a saddle again. Though I am in awe of your skill, my future countess must ride sidesaddle.” He said it softly, but with a thread of steel in his voice.
She turned from him, and nodded her head. “You are right… you would be disgraced. And by marrying me I will be disgrace enough.”
He reached out a hand to pull her into his arms. “I am thinking of you, Ivy,” he said quietly as he stroked her red curls. “I would not want to give the harpies of society any reason to question whether or not you belong with them. And you do belong with them. And with me.”
He tilted her face back so that she was forced to look at him. His eyes were warm with sincerity and he had a look Ivy was learning to recognize; he wanted to kiss her again. Cy chuckled when she gently pushed him away. If he kissed her, there would be very little chance she would be able to leave any time soon. He muddled her thoughts.
Ivy looked at the mare and said wistfully, “She really is quite beautiful and spirited.”
“I wonder if I will be able to deny you anything. I shall let you ride one last time without a saddle. We shall take the long way back to Cavehill land.” He squeezed her fingers affectionately and spoke to a footman to see that his horse was readied. Moments later, they were galloping across the rolling landscape, and Ivy could not believe how quickly her life had changed since arriving in England.
When they reached the Cavehill stables, Cy tossed his reins to the waiting stable boy
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